I
taught myself the drums after a fairly intensive grounding in classical violin,
viola, and piano. I'd also taught myself guitar at the age of 12 and immediately
began writing songs for school shows and competitions, talent quests, and the
like.
I moved to Wellington in 1980, and my first bands there included jazz/blues band 'The Hot City Cats', blues line-up 'The Juke Jivers', original rock 3-piece 'The Spines', and popular post-punk trio 'Beat Rhythm Fashion'.
I shifted to Dunedin for half of 1983 and played drums for 'The Verlaines' with Graeme Downes. Then it was back to Wellington and eventually Let's Planet, but I was then approached by Martin Phillips to join the 'The Chills'. We toured New Zealand, Australia, and Europe extensively, and recorded the Chills' first album Brave Words at Point Studios in London in 1987.
After returning to Wellington I continued drumming and writing in let's Planet, but swapped drums for guitar in 1998. I also play drums for the 'Barry Saunders Trio' - Barry is also 'The Warratahs' singer/songwriter. I played on Barry's Magnetic South album, released in 1998.